aeternus

In commemoration of a blessed event for Carmelites which is celebrated today, the Transverberation (piercing) of the Heart of St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of our Church in the order of Prayer…

“Our Lord was pleased that I should have at times a vision of this kind: I saw an angel close by me, on my left side, in bodily form. This I am not accustomed to see, unless very rarely. Though I have visions of angels frequently, yet I see them only by an intellectual vision, such as I have spoken of before. It was our Lord’s will that in this vision I should see the angel in this wise. He was not large, but small of stature, and most beautiful—his face burning, as if he were one of the highest angels, who seem to be all of fire: they must be those whom we call cherubim. Their names they never tell me; but I see very well that there is in heaven so great a difference between one angel and another, and between these and the others, that I cannot explain it.

I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the iron’s point there seemed to be a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart and to pierce my very entrails; when he drew it out, he seemed to draw them out also, and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God. The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it. The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God. The pain is not bodily, but spiritual; though the body has its share in it, even a large one. It is a caressing of love so sweet which now takes place between the soul and God, that I pray God of His goodness to make him experience it who may think that I am lying.

During the days that this lasted, I went about as if beside myself. I wished to see, or speak with, no one, but only to cherish my pain, which was to me a greater bliss than all created things could give me.

I was in this state from time to time, whenever it was our Lord’s pleasure to throw me into those deep trances, which I could not prevent even when I was in the company of others, and which, to my deep vexation, came to be publicly known. Since then, I do not feel that pain so much, but only that which I spoke of before,—I do not remember the chapter, —which is in many ways very different from it, and of greater worth. On the other hand, when this pain, of which I am now speaking, begins, our Lord seems to lay hold of the soul, and to throw it into a trance, so that there is no time for me to have any sense of pain or suffering, because fruition ensues at once. May He be blessed for ever, who hath bestowed such great graces on one who has responded so ill to blessings so great!”

St. Teresa of Avila, The Book of Her Life, Chapter XXIX. Of Visions. The Graces Our Lord Bestowed on the Saint. The Answers Our Lord Gave Her for Those Who Tried Her.

Continued…..

Palladius, the author of the “Lives of the Fathers of the Desert,” experiencing great disgust in prayer, went seeking advice from the abbot Macarius. The saintly abbot gave him this counsel: “When you are tempted in times of dryness to give up praying because you seem to be wasting your time, say: ‘Since I cannot pray, I will be satisfied just to remain on watch here in my cell for the love of Jesus Christ!’ “Devout soul, you do the same when you are tempted to give up prayer just because you seem to be getting nowhere. Say: “I am going to stay here just to please God.” St. Francis de Sales used to say that if we do nothing else but banish distractions and temptations in our prayers, the prayer is well made. Tauler states that persevering prayer in time of dryness will receive greater grace than prayer made amid great sensible devotion.

Rodriguez cites the case of a person who persevered forty years in prayer despite aridity, and experienced great spiritual strength as a result of it; on occasion, when through aridity he would omit meditation he felt spiritually weak and incapable of good deeds. St. Bonaventure and Gerson both say that persons who do not experience the recollection they would like to have in their meditations, often serve God better than they would do if they did have it; the reason is that lack of recollection keeps them more diligent and humble; otherwise they would become puffed up with spiritual pride and grow tepid, vainly believing they had reached the summit of sanctity.

What has been said of dryness holds true of temptations also. Certainly we should strive to avoid temptations; but if God wishes that we be tempted against faith, purity, or any other virtue, we should not give in to discouraging lamentations, but submit ourselves with resignation to God’s holy will. St. Paul asked to be freed from temptations to impurity and our Lord answered him, saying: “My grace is sufficient for thee[6].”

So should we act when we find ourselves victims of unrelenting temptations and God seemingly deaf to our prayers. Let us then say: “Lord, do with me, let happen to me what thou wilt; thy grace is sufficient for me. Only never let me lose this grace.” Consent to temptation, not temptation of itself, can make us lose the grace of God. Temptation resisted keeps us humble, brings us greater merit, makes us have frequent recourse to God, thus preserving us from offending him and unites us more closely to him in the bonds of his holy love.

Finally, we should be united to God’s will in regard to the time and manner of our death. One day St. Gertrude, while climbing up a small hill, lost her footing and fell into a ravine below. After her companions had come to her assistance, they asked her if while falling she had any fear of dying without the sacraments. “I earnestly hope and desire to have the benefit of the sacraments when death is at hand; still, to my way of thinking, the will of God is more important. I believe that the best disposition I could have to die a happy death would be to submit myself to whatever God would wish in my regard. For this reason I desire whatever kind of death God will be pleased to send me.”

to be continued…..

Uniformity With God’s Will

Saint Alphonsus de Ligouri Chapter 6 — Spiritual Desolation.

“Perfection is founded entirely on the love of God: ‘Charity is the bond of perfection;’ and perfect love of God means the complete union of our will with God’s.”

– St. Alphonsus

Translated by Thomas W. Tobin, C.SS.R

• [5] Eccli. 6:10.[6] 2 Cor. 12:9.

The time of spiritual desolation is also a time for being resigned. When a soul begins to cultivate the spiritual life, God usually showers his consolations upon her to wean her away from the world; but when he sees her making solid progress, he withdraws his hand to test her and to see if she will love and serve him without the reward of sensible consolations. “In this life,” as St. Teresa used to say, “our lot is not to enjoy God, but to do his holy will.” And again, “Love of God does not consist in experiencing his tendernesses, but in serving him with resolution and humility.” And in yet another place, “God’s true lovers are discovered in times of aridity and temptation.”

Let the soul thank God when she experiences his loving endearments, but let her not repine when she finds herself left in desolation. It is important to lay great stress on this point, because some souls, beginners in the spiritual life, finding themselves in spiritual aridity, think God has abandoned them, or that the spiritual life is not for them; thus they give up the practice of prayer and lose what they have previously gained. The time of aridity is the best time to practice resignation to God’s holy will. I do not say you will feel no pain in seeing yourself deprived of the sensible presence of God; it is impossible for the soul not to feel it and lament over it, when even our Lord cried out on the cross: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me[3]?” In her sufferings, however, the soul should always be resigned to God’s will.

The saints have all experienced desolations and abandonment of soul. “How impervious to things spiritual, my heart!” cries a St. Bernard. “No savor in pious reading, no pleasure in meditation nor in prayer!” For the most part it has been the common lot of the saints to encounter aridities; sensible consolations were the exceptions. Such things are rare occurrences granted to untried souls so that they may not halt on the road to sanctity; the real delights and happiness that will constitute their reward are reserved for heaven. This earth is a place of merit which is acquired by suffering; heaven is a place of reward and happiness. Hence, in this life the saints neither desired nor sought the joys of sensible fervor, but rather the fervor of the spirit toughened in the crucible of suffering. “O how much better it is,” says St. John of Avila, “to endure aridity and temptation by God’s will than to be raised to the heights of contemplation without God’s will!”

But you say you would gladly endure desolation if you were certain that it comes from God, but you are tortured by the anxiety that your desolation comes by your own fault and is a punishment for your tepidity. Very well, let us suppose you are right; then get rid of your tepidity and exercise more diligence in the affairs of your soul. But because you are possibly experiencing spiritual darkness, are you going to get all wrought up, give up prayer, and thus make things twice as bad as they are?

Let us assume that this aridity is a punishment for your tepidity. Was it not God who sent it? Accept your desolation, as your just desserts and unite yourself to God’s holy will. Did you not say that you merited hell? And now you are complaining? Perhaps you think God should send you consolations! Away with such ideas and be patient under God’s hand. Take up your prayers again and continue to walk in the way you have entered upon; for the future, fear lest such laments come from too little humility and too little resignation to the will of God. Therefore be resigned and say: “Lord, I accept this punishment from thy hands, and I accept it for as long as it pleases thee; if it be thy will that I should be thus afflicted for all eternity, I am satisfied.” Such a prayer, though hard to make, will be far more advantageous to you than the sweetest sensible consolations.

It is well to remember, however, that aridity is not always a chastisement; at times it is a disposition of divine providence for our greater spiritual profit and to keep us humble. Lest St. Paul become vain on account of the spiritual gifts he had received, the Lord permitted him to be tempted to impurity: “And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan to buffet me[4].”

Prayer made amid sensible devotion is not much of an achievement: “There is a friend, a companion at the table, and he will not abide in the day of distress[5].” You would not consider the casual guest at your table a friend, but only him who assists you in your need without thought of benefit to himself. When God sends spiritual darkness and desolation, his true friends are known.

More tomorrow…

Uniformity With God’s Will

Saint Alphonsus de Ligouri Chapter 6 — Spiritual Desolation.

“Perfection is founded entirely on the love of God: ‘Charity is the bond of perfection;’ and perfect love of God means the complete union of our will with God’s.”

– St. Alphonsus

Translated by Thomas W. Tobin, C.SS.R

• [3] Matt. 27:46.

  [4] 2 Cor. 12:7.

I’ve been consumed in a project this week and it may continue for a little while. However, I read this little news item from Catholic News Services which I think would be of significance for those who may read this very modest blog. It harkens to our Holy Father JPII calling for the East and Western Churches to unite so that we may again “breathe together with two lungs” (I believe he hoped the Holy Spirit would initiate this unity through the Divine Breath of our Creator.) What a beautiful communion this would be and it will come, God willing, through P R A Y E R !

God Bless our Holy Father Benedict who is leading us this way too!

Here is the article..

Vatican City, May 14, 2008 / 10:18 am (CNA).- Pope Benedict dedicated his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square to the teachings of the figure Pseudo-Dionysius the Aeropagite, who is “a greater mediator in the modern dialogue between Christianity and the mystical theologies of Asia.”

“In today’s catechesis we return to the teaching of a sixth century author whose writings have been attributed to the first century disciple of St. Paul, Dionysius the Aeropagite.

Pseudo-Dionysius used Greek polytheism “to show the truth of Christ and transform the polytheistic world into a cosmos created by God” in which “all creatures together reflect the truth of God.”

“Because the creature is a glorification of God, the Pseudo-Dionysius’ theology becomes a theological liturgy. God is found, above all, by praising Him and not just through reflection.”

The Holy Father explained that Pseudo-Dionysius’ “two principal works, the Divine Name and Mystical Theology strive to present a knowledge of God which surpasses rational understanding and culminates in spiritual perfection and transforming contemplation.”

This Father of the Church created the first “great mystical theology. … With him the word ‘mystical’ took on a more personal and intimate meaning: it expresses the soul’s journey towards God. … The Pseudo-Dionysius shows that at the end of the road to God is God Himself, Who comes close to us in Jesus Christ.”

“Today Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite assumes fresh relevance”, said the Holy Father. “He appears as a greater mediator in the modern dialogue between Christianity and the mystical theologies of Asia, the well-known characteristic of which lies in their conviction that it cannot be said who God is, that He can be spoken of only in negative terms, … and that only by entering this experience of ‘no’ can He be reached.”

Pope Benedict also mentioned Pseudo-Dionysius’ influence on other prominent saints. “In the West, Dionysius’ writings influenced the early scholastics and Saint Thomas, as well as Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of the Cross. His vision of a great cosmic harmony reflecting the beauty of the Creator and the love freely bestowed on us in Christ, can also inspire our efforts to work for unity, reconciliation and peace in our world.”

Before bestowing his apostolic blessing on all those gathered, the Pope greeted all those English speaking pilgrims who had made it to Saints Peter’s square.

“I welcome all the English-speaking visitors present today, including the groups from England, Ireland, Japan, The Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States of America. May your visit to Rome be a time of deep spiritual renewal. Upon all of you I invoke God’s abundant blessings of joy and peace.”

I love today’s Saint, Margaret of Scotland, a woman who emulates the virtues of charity and familial love. She was a woman of such great influence to her people and who taught her husband by her own great example how to lead a life of holiness. A very honorable woman, and in St. Louis we have one of the greatest parishes in the city dedicated to her. They have a choir which is absolutely wonderful and no one can deny their outstanding quality of musicianship. They are an inspiration to all the mass goers there for sure!

But let me put that aside and focus instead on another “Saint of the day” because today is also the feast of a great mystical Saint, Getrude the Great.

Gertrude’s life was not lead out on the open as a ruler of a country like Margaret. Instead she lead a hidden life of mystical prayer in a Benedictine cloister uniting herself with Jesus through His Sacred Humanity and had a great devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Gertrude was so loved by St. Teresa of Avila that Teresa took this mystic as her devotional and spiritual exemplar. Both women were so entranced in the mystery of our Lord’s most Sacred Heart.

In a prayer Gertrude wrote:

O Sacred Heart of Jesus,
fountain of eternal life,
Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love.
You are my refuge and my sanctuary.

O my adorable and loving Saviour,
consume my heart with the burning fire
with which Yours is aflamed.
Pour down on my soul those graces
which flow from Your love.
Let my heart be united with Yours.
Let my will be conformed to Yours in all things.
May Your Will be the rule of all my desires and actions.

Amen.

In a book entitled: “Spiritual Works of Louis of Blois” by Louis of Blois he writes of Gertrude:

The Lord sensibly imprinted on her heart the glorious stigmata of His five Wounds, and He prepared for Himself in her so pleasing a dwelling, and so sweetly manifested to her His Heart, that if men did not know the power and goodness of the Lord to be boundless, they could hardly believe that He had shown as much familiar friendship to His most holy Mother on the earth as He showed to her.

Gertrude indeed had many mystical dreams and visions one of which I will include here below. It is from the same book by Blois:

St. Gertrude saw the soul of a certain man of a religious order well known to her, as it were sitting at a table, sad, and with a dejected countenance, as not being yet purified nor worthy to enjoy the blissful contemplation of God. On this table were presented all the Masses, the Office of the Church, the prayers, and other pious works that were offered for that soul, and by these the soul was wonderfully strengthened. The Lord also, moved by his own loving-kindness, and the supplication of intercessors, always added something, in virtue of which that soul rejoiced, being greatly strengthened and relieved. In like manner the Blessed Virgin Mary seemed to place something upon it, that the soul might receive more consolation, which had, while it was in the body, worshipped her with especial devotion. Those also of the Saints whom the soul had more particularly venerated on earth, added to the table in proportion as the soul being in the body had deserved by its greater or less labour and devotion. By all which means the soul, becoming more and more soothed from hour to hour, began more and more to lift its eyes to the most sweet light of the Divinity, which to behold in open vision is in truth to have laid aside the sad memory of all sorrows, and to have found the abundance of all good and of all joy.

Chapter XIII. On the Pains of Purgatory.
Spiritual Works of Louis of Blois by Blois, Louis

Now, most importantly for us today is to remember the prayer our Lord gave to Gertrude. I think you will obviously recognize parts of this prayer which were given to her in the early part of the 14th century because they are so similar to those he gave to dear Saint Faustina in the early middle of the 20th century!

“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”

Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that this prayer would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said. O.K. like that is 1,000 souls! So, for the love of these souls I am sure you will write this prayer down and say it MANY times today and each day thereafter! (Of course, this is no magical incantation. The prayer, as all prayers, must come from the depths of your heart united to His most Sacred Heart…)

What a beautiful mass we had at the chapel this morning for the celebration of the Eucharist in memory of All Carmelite Saints. As the weather has been unseasonably warm and the fall foliage is at its beautiful peak, all morning has been glorious. I was struck unaware as I walked past the statue of Saint Teresa after the Eucharist just how much I owe to these wonderful Saints of Carmel. How my whole life seemed a strange ocean where one minute I was struggling to tread water and the next I was floating serenely upon the gentle swells of a tranquil sea. It was Teresa of Jesus who helped me understand what was “going on” in my soul and though I was never afraid of my interior life, I will say sometimes it could un-nerve me a bit! After study and meditation upon the spiritual writings of such great souls as Therese, Teresa de los Andes, Teresa Benedicta, John of the Cross and of course Teresa of Avila I have found a great company of elder Sisters and Brothers who help to guide my path and help me not be afraid or worried about what lies ahead. For whatever trials are ahead in this life count all as nothing, nothing, nothing compared to what beauty is to be discovered beyond them! What a great lot I owe these saints…I thank you with every beat of my heart!!!

Here is a reading from the Carmelite Proper which is a passage from Terersa of Avila…

The whole family of Carmel in the homeland, with Mary
its mother at its head, is the reason for our joy and praise to
the Father on this day. We recall our brothers and sisters
who once dedicated their lives to continual prayer on earth
and now share in the worship of heaven. We unite ourselves
spiritually to their glory, all the while journeying along the
paths they traveled with courage, as they lived in obedience
to Christ and followed in the footsteps of Our Lady.

From the works of St. Teresa of Jesus

All of us who wear this holy Carmelite habit are called to
prayer and contemplation. This is what we were founded
for. We are descended from those holy fathers of ours on
Mt. Carmel, those who went in search of that treasure
–the priceless pearl we are talking about –in such solitude
and with such contempt for the world.

We must remember those holy fathers of ours who have
gone before us, the hermits whose lives we are trying to
imitate. We must remember our real founders, those holy
fathers whose descendants we are. It was by way of
poverty and humility, we know, that they came to the
enjoyment of God.

On the subject of the beginnings of orders, I sometimes
hear it said that the Lord gave greater graces to those saints
who went before us because they were the foundations.
Quite so, but we too must always bear in mind what it
means to be the foundations for those who will come later.
For if those of us who are alive now have not fallen away
from what they did in the past, and those who come after
us do the same, the building will always stand firm. What
use is it to me for the saints of the past to have been what
they were, if I come along after them and behave so badly
that I leave the building in ruins because of my bad habits?
For obviously those who come later don’t remember those
who have died years before as they do the people they see
around them. A fine state of affairs it is to insist that I am
not one of the first, and do not realize what a difference
there is between my life and virtues and the lives of those
God has endowed with such graces!

Any of you who sees your Order falling away in any
respect must try to be the kind of stone the building can be
rebuilt with –the Lord will help to rebuild it.

For love of our Lord I beg them to remember how
quickly everything comes to an end, and what a favor the
Lord has done in bringing us to this Order, and what a
punishment anyone who starts any kind of relaxation will
deserve. They must always look at the race we are
descended from–that race of holy prophets. What a num-
ber of saints we have in heaven who have worn this habit
of ours! We must have the holy audacity to aspire, with
God’s help, to be like them. The struggle will not last long,
but the outcome will be eternal.

photo of St. Michael the Archangel guarding the entrance at the Carmel of St. Joseph

Here is an interesting post I read today from the Pentimento blog about a musical Carmelite Friar. I tried to leave a thank you comment at her blog but was unable so a thank you to her for posting about him.

For further reading, here are a few lines from the Mother of the Carmelite reform, St. Teresa of Avila. She talks about her early life and how she came to “know herself” and “know our Lord”. Through this examination she was able to see the path to Eternity with greater clarity as she humbled herself for love of Him. What a great inspiration she is to us who are on this Earth but a short while as we journey towards our home…

I began, then, to indulge in one pastime after another, in one vanity after another and in one occasion of sin after another. Into so many and such grave occasions of sin did I fall, and so far was my soul led astray by all these vanities, that I was ashamed to return to God and to approach Him in the intimate friendship which comes from prayer. This shame was increased by the fact that, as my sins grew in number, I began to lose the pleasure and joy which I had been deriving from virtuous things. I saw very clearly, my Lord, that this was failing me because I was failing Thee. The devil, beneath the guise of humility, now led me into the greatest of all possible errors. Seeing that I was so utterly lost, I began to be afraid to pray. It seemed to me better, since in my wickedness I was one of the worst people alive, to live like everyone else; to recite, vocally, the prayers that I was bound to say; and not to practise mental prayer or hold so much converse with God, since I deserved to be with the devils, and, by presenting an outward appearance of goodness, was only deceiving others. No blame for this is to be attributed to the house in which I lived, for I was clever enough to see to it that the nuns had a good opinion of me, though I did not do so deliberately, by pretending to be a good Christian, for in the matter of vainglory and hypocrisy — glory be to God! — I do not remember having even once offended Him, so far as I am aware. For if ever I perceived within myself the first motions of such a thing, it distressed me so much that the devil would depart confounded and I would be all the better for it; so he has very seldom tempted me much in this way. Perhaps, if God had permitted me to be tempted as severely in this respect as in others, I should have fallen here too, but so far His Majesty has kept me from this. May He be for ever blessed. In reality, therefore, I was very much troubled that they should have such a good opinion of me, as I knew what sort of person I was inwardly…

… I was once in the company of a certain person, right at the beginning of my acquaintance with her, when the Lord was pleased to make me realize that these friendships were not good for me, and to warn me and enlighten my great blindness. Christ revealed Himself to me, in an attitude of great sternness, and showed me what there was in this that displeased Him. I saw Him with the eyes of the soul more clearly than I could ever have seen Him with those of the body; and it made such an impression upon me that, although it is now more than twenty-six years ago, I seem to have Him present with me still…

… But now that I had fallen away so far, and no longer practised prayer, I could not bear him to think, as I saw he did, that I was still just as I used to be; so I had to undeceive him. For I had been a year or more without praying, thinking that to refrain from prayer was a sign of greater humility. This, as I shall afterwards explain, was the greatest temptation I had: it nearly brought about my ruin. For during the time I practised prayer, if I had offended God one day, I would recollect myself on the following days and withdraw farther from occasions of sin.

… Charity grows when it is communicated to others and from this there result a thousand blessings. I should not dare to say this if I had not had a great deal of experience of its importance. It is true that of all who are born I am the weakest and wickedest; but I believe that anyone, however strong, who humbles himself and trusts not in himself but in someone who has experience, will lose nothing. As regards myself, I can say that, if the Lord had not revealed this truth to me and given me the means of speaking very frequently with people who practise prayer, I should have gone on rising and falling again until I fell right into hell. For I had many friends who helped me to fall; but, when it came to rising again, I found myself so completely alone that I marvel now that I did not remain where I was, and I praise the mercy of God, Who alone gave me His hand. May He be blessed for ever. Amen.


Excerpts from St. Teresa of Avila — Autobiography CHAPTER VII

I am just back from a beautiful mass at the Carmel of St. Joseph where we celebrated the feast of Teresa of Jesus. What a gift to the church is the spirit of Carmel and what a gift to Carmel is St. Teresa, “La Madre”! The doctor of prayer (and for my part Doctor of Determination) who has taught us so well how to manage and navigate our pathways to eternity.
Here is a hymn from the Carmelite morning office about her:

Noonday blaze of virtues rare,
Highest gifts of grace and prayer,
You have lived, in deep repose,
All that faith on us bestows.

Wedded to the Father’s Word.
Word of light, in silence heard,
Leaning on the Savior’s breast,
Guided by the Spirit blest,

Blest the mind refined by fire
To receive divine desire,
Wisdom’s secrets in your heart,
Opened by the heav’nly dart.

Christ drew you to his embrace
By the fragrance of his grace;
In you reaching we confide,
Trusting you, our heav’n-sent guide.

Truth eternal, One and Three,
May Teresa constantly
Lead us up the mountain’s ways
To the realms of joy and praise.

Please visit the Meditations from Carmel Podcast to hear some wonderful inspirationals from Saint Teresa!

From the Book of her Life MP3 

From the Way of Perfection…

“Now let me address myself to those souls I
mentioned who can neither recollect themselves,
nor concentrate their minds on mental prayer, nor
can they meditate. We must not mention either
of these words before them, for they will not
hear of such things. In fad:, many people are
terrified at the mere name of mental prayer or
meditation, yet perhaps some such persons may
enter this convent, for as I said, all are not led by
the same way. What I will advise you about, or
I may say teach you (for as Prioress, I am your
mother, and have the right to teach), is how to
pray vocally, because you ought to understand the
words you utter. Since long prayers may tire one
who cannot fix her mind on God, I will not speak
of them, but only of those which, as Christians,
we are bound to repeat namely the Pater Noster
and the Ave Maria.

Clearly, we ought to attend to how we say
our prayers; then no one can say we speak without
understanding our own words. Perhaps we think
it is enough for us to pray as a matter of habit and
that it suffices if we simply pronounce the words.
Whether it suffices or no, is not for me to say: I
leave the decision to theologians: God will give
them light to guide those who consult them, and
as to those who do not belong to our state of life,
it is no business of mine. But, my daughters, I do
not wish us to content ourselves with this. When
I recite, in the Credo, I believe . . . it seems
to me that I ought to know and to understand
what it is that I believe/ If I say, Our Father ,
love requires that I should know Who is our
Father , and Who the Master that teaches us this
prayer, for there is an immense difference between
one master and another. If you tell me, that it is
enough to know this once for all and to think no
more about it, you might as well say that it is
enough to recite the prayer itself once in a life-time.
It is shameful to forget even our human teachers,
especially if they were very holy and were our
spiritual guides: we could not do so if we were
faithful pupils. We should preserve a strong affec
tion and respect for them, and should often speak
of them. God forbid, then, that whenever we say
this prayer we should not think of such a Master,
so loving and desirous of our good. Still, human
nature is so frail that we may often forget Him.

You know that His Majesty taught us that
the first point is that prayer should be made in
solitude.

He practised this Himself; not because
it was requisite for Him, but for the sake of our
instruction. I have already explained that we can
not speak both to God and to the world at the
same time. Yet what else are we doing if, while
we pray, we listen to other people s conversation
or let our thoughts dwell unchecked on whatever
subject occurs to them? I am not alluding to times
when people are out of health (especially if they
suffer from melancholia), or when their brains are
tired, for then no effort will control the attention.
On other occasions God permits a tempest of
difficulties to assault His servants for their greater
good: then, though the soul may grieve at its
distractions and try to stop them, this is found to
be impossible. Such a person cannot attend to
what she is saying, strive as she may, nor can she
fix her thoughts on any other subject: indeed she
seems bereft of reason and her wits wander still
the pain this state causes her proves her to be
blameless in the matter. She should not trouble
herself about it; this would only increase the evil :
let her not tire herself by trying to reduce her mind
to reason, of which in such a state it is incapable.
Let her pray as best she can, or leave off praying
and rest her brain as if she were ill, occupying
herself with some other good work. This advice
applies to persons who watch carefully over them
selves and who grasp the truth that they cannot
speak both to God and to the world at the same
time.

On our part, we can endeavor to be alone
God grant this may suffice to make us realize in
Whose Presence we are and how He answers our
petitions. Do you suppose He is silent, though
we cannot hear Him? He speaks to our hearts
when our hearts speak to Him. It would be good
for us to believe that He teaches this prayer to each
one of us in particular. This Master is never so
far off that His scholars need raise their voices to
make Him hear: He keeps very close to them.
I want to show you that, to say the Pater Noster
well, you must not leave the side of the Tutor
Who teaches it you. Perhaps you will say that
this is meditation, and that you cannot pray except
vocally nor do you wish to do so. Some people
are impatient and self-indulgent, and find it diffi
cult to collect their thoughts when they begin to
pray, being unused to the habit; therefore to avoid
some little trouble, they say they do not know
how, nor can they do more than pray vocally. You
are right in calling that which I am speaking of
mental prayer , but I assure you that vocal prayers,
properly recited, cannot be separated from it if we
are to realize with Whom we are speaking. We
are bound to pray with attention, and may God
grant that, with the aid of all these means, we may
succeed in saying the Pater Noster well without
wandering thoughts. I sometimes suffer from
them, and I find that the best remedy is to keep
my mind fixed on Him to Whom my words are
addressed. You must be patient, and try to accus
tom yourselves to this most necessary practice,
which for nuns and, in my opinion, for all good
Christians is indispensable.”

–Teresa of Jesus

THE WAY OF PERFECTION TRANSLATED FROM THE AUTOGRAPH OF SAINT TERESA OF JESUS 

BY THE BENEDICTINES OF STANBROOK INCLUDING ALL THE VARIANTS FROM THE ESCORIAL 

AND VALLADOLID EDITIONS  Revised with notes and an introduction by the Very

Reverend F. BENEDICT ZIMMERMAN O. C. D. Prior. SECOND EDITIONWITH ADDITIONAL 

NOTES BY THE TRANSLATOR  LONDON : THOMAS BAKER  1919  All rights reserved. 

Image above:

“The Crucifixion”
by Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1870

Teresa of Avila, as I said in the previous post, was one of the most modest of souls who had the ability to see her own smallness as compared to God’s great eternity. We should not get the idea that she really was some horrible and uncontrolled woman, no, she just knew how little and helpless we are without God’s grace. I like this small passage which talks about entering the mystical desert in search of our Lord. She shows us how to humble ourselves as it is so necessary in order to become a child of God…

This, I believe, must have been the reason why
some of the Saints withdrew into the desert. And it is
a kind of humility in man not to trust to himself, but to
believe that God will help him in his relations with
those with whom he converses ; and charity grows by
being diffused ; and there are a thousand blessings
herein which I would not dare to speak of, if I had
not known by experience the great importance of it.
It is very true that I am the most wicked and the basest
of all who are born of women ; but I believe that he
who, humbling himself, though strong, yet trusteth not
in himself, and believeth another who in this matter has
had experience, will lose nothing. Of myself I may
say that, if our Lord had not revealed to me this truth,
and given me the opportunity of speaking very fre
quently to persons given to prayer, I should have gone
on falling and rising till I tumbled into hell. I had
many friends to help me to fall ; but as to rising again,
I was so much left to myself , that I wonder now I was
not always on the ground. I praise God for His mercy ;
for it was He only Who stretched out His hand to me.
May He be blessed for ever ! Amen.

CHAPTER VII. LUKEWARMNESS. THE LOSS OF GRACE. INCONVENIENCE OF LAXITY IN RELIGIOUS HOUSES. The Life of ST. TERESA OF JESUS, OF THE ORDER OF OUR LADY OF CARMEL.WRITTEN BY HERSELF TRANSLATED FROM THE SPANISH BY DAVID LEWIS. Third Edition Enlarged. “With additional Notes and an Introduction by REV. FR. BENEDICT ZIMMERMAN, O.C.D. LONDON : THOMAS BAKER. MCMIV. THE COPYRIGHT OF MR. LEWIS TRANSLATION IS THE PROPERTY OF THE ” ST. ANSELM SOCIETY.” ALL OTHER MA1TER CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME IS THE PROPERTY OF THE PRESENT PUBLISHER.

Determination.

It is perhaps this singular word which makes me love Saint Teresa of Avila so much. Though I appreciate her great witty style of prose, her humble, self-deprecating demeanor and her obvious intelligence of soul, it is Teresa’s ability to practice a determined spirit of life which attracts me so much to her. For she knew, in keen awareness of her own human nature, that it is no easy road which we climb as we set our journey upwards and home-wards to our eternity.

Teresa does not teach us about things which can not be attained for through determination she attained them. (And by the way, I am not talking about the effects of mystical prayer which ONLY God can bestow upon a soul. I am talking about the determined effort we can use for ourselves in ordering and centering our lives on prayer and adoration of our Lord and God.)

Teresa teaches us how to leave the daily grind and superfluous chatter behind us, to allow it only to be a “white noise” in the background. She teaches us to focus our spiritual capacities on Him and only Him. To do ALL for Him and whatever is not of Him and only of ourselves to fall away. We become impoverished souls emptying our self-centered worth to become rich in Him.

I thought to present as an example of this determination, a passage from Teresa’s autobiography (The Book of Her Life). Here she talks of a soul who has begun this life of dedicated prayer and who must now remain faithful through a determined spirit so they are not lost. And, please, you gotta love this woman who is so humble as to compliment herself as a “vile worm!” - what a hoot! I LOVE HER! She makes my sides hurt from laughter!

Notice how strong the soul feels in this stage after prayer. It is would gladly give itself up a thousand times for God for it is feeling a heroic determination of spirit. But when it is again placed in this world, it sees itself plainly (warts and all as they say!). This is how God teaches us. To know Him and to see ourselves and how desperately far from perfection we are! But His mercy and love is so great that if a soul loves God, God can not help but love it. For God is love and He can not deny Himself…

Let us listen to dear Teresa’s words…

CHAPTER XIX. The effects of this Fourth State of Prayer. Earnest exhortations to those who have attained to it not to go back, nor to cease from prayer, even if they fall. The great calamity of going back…

There remains in the soul, when the prayer of
union is over, an exceedingly great tenderness ; so
much so, that it would undo itself not from pain, but
through tears of joy : it finds itself bathed therein,
without being aware of it, and it knows not how or
when it wept them. But to behold the violence of the
fire subdued by the water, which yet makes it burn the
more, gives it great delight. It seems as if I were
speaking an unknown language. So it is, however.

It has happened to me occasionally, when this
prayer was over, to be so beside myself as not to know
whether I had been dreaming, or whether the bliss I
felt had really been mine ; and, on finding myself in a
flood of tears which had painlessly flowed, with such
violence and rapidity that it seemed as if a cloud from
heaven 1 had shed them to perceive that it was no
dream. Thus it was with me in the beginning, when
it passed quickly away. The soul remains possessed
of so much courage, that if it were now hewn in pieces
for God, it would be a great consolation to it. This is
the time of resolutions, of heroic determinations, of the
living energy of good desires, of the beginning of hatred
of the world, and of the most clear perception of its
vanity. The soul makes greater and higher progress
than it ever made before in the previous states of
prayer ; and grows in humility more and more, because
it sees clearly that neither for obtaining nor for re
taining this grace, great beyond all measure, has it ever
done, or ever been able to do, anything of itself. It
looks upon itself as most unworthy for in a room into
which the sunlight enters strongly, not a cobweb can be
hid ; it sees its own misery ; self-conceit is so far away,
that it seems as if it never could have had any for
now its own eyes behold how very little it could ever
do, or rather, that it never did anything, that it hardly
gave even its own consent, but that it rather seemed as
if the doors of the senses were closed against its will
in order that it might have more abundantly the
fruition of our Lord. It is abiding alone with Him :
what has it to do but to love Him ? It neither sees nor
hears, unless on compulsion : no thanks to it. Its past
life stands before it then, together with the great mercy
of God, in great distinctness ; and it is not necessary
for it to go forth to hunt with the understanding,
because what it has to eat and ruminate upon, it sees
now ready prepared. It sees, so far as itself is con
cerned, that it has deserved hell, and that its punish
ment is bliss. It undoes itself in the praises of God,
and I would gladly undo myself now.

Blessed be Thou, O my Lord, who, out of a pool
so filthy as I am, bringest forth water so clean as to be
meet for Thy table ! Praised be Thou, O Joy of the
Angels, who hast been thus pleased to exalt so vile a
worm !

The Life of ST. TERESA OF JESUS, OF THE ORDER OF OUR LADY OF CARMEL. WRITTEN BY HERSELF TRANSLATED FROM THE SPANISH BY DAVID LEWIS. Third Edition Enlarged. “With additional Notes and an Introduction by REV. FR. BENEDICT ZIMMERMAN, O.C.D. LONDON : THOMAS BAKER. MCMIV. THE COPYRIGHT OF MR. LEWIS TRANSLATION IS THE PROPERTY OF THE ” ST. ANSELM SOCIETY.” ALL OTHER MA1TER CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME IS THE PROPERTY OF THE PRESENT PUBLISHER.

As it is Sunday, we must first remember Christ’s incredible actions in His holy suffering and death which gained for we unworthy souls our redemption. However, we can also notice that today would have been the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary. I am sure though we are all paying particular attention to Our Mother as October is HER month.

One other bit to remember is that on the holy feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, we may begin a novena to St. Teresa of Avila — “La Madre” as the Carmelites know her dearly. I will write more about this INCREDIBLE woman over these next few days as we prepare for her feast. For now, here is a novena prayer which can be said daily. There is also a great Novena to St. Teresa written by a great admirer of her, Saint Alphonse Ligouri. Saint Alphonse surely appreciated and understood her mystical life of prayer and he kept her close his heart.

You can listen along and pray with the Meditations from Carmel podcast HERE.


Hail, through the most adorable Heart of Jesus,
O seraphic virgin, St. Teresa. We rejoice in your
glory, we give thanks to Our Lord for the favors
and graces bestowed upon you; we praise and
glorify His divine Majesty.

O blessed Saint, vouchsafe continually to pray
for your poor children.

O amiable Teresa, pity our prayers and sighs,
and show us your most ardent charity; secure
for us that divine love which wholly possessed
your inflamed heart. O powerful Teresa, intercede
for us. Obtain for us the graces and favors
we ask in this novena. (Pause for requests to be
made.)

O strong Teresa, fortify us. O heavenly Teresa, pray for us.

O faithful Teresa, most compassionate of our
miseries, look upon your exiled children and
direct our hearts to your amiable Spouse, Jesus
our Redeemer, that we may worthily praise Him
and, with all the love of our hearts, say to Him:
Come, O sweet Jesus, draw us after You and we
will sing Your mercies forever. Amen

St. Teresa, pray for us.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Graciously hear us, O God our
Salvation, that as we rejoice in the commemoration
of the blessed Teresa, Your virgin and our mother,
so we may be nourished by her heavenly doctrine
and draw from it the fervor of a tender
devotion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

It was very joyful this morning at mass. On this feast of the Triumph of the Cross the Carmelite Sisters traditionally renew their holy vows. These vows bind them to their own crosses as they intercede contemplatively to God on our behalf. Each of them quietly abandoning themselves to physical poverty and lives of prayerful penance because their love for God supersedes any other desire imaginable.

In thinking about this abandonment and poverty I was reading a very old book containing meditations of St. Teresa of Avila. While most of her writing has been translated into modern language, it was very interesting to read a book where every letter “s” was represented by a “f”. It took a little while for my brain to work it out, but it was worth it. Saint Teresa is speaking about her own littleness and poverty of spirit.

Here is a sample which I have replaced the f’s and s’s for you…

How does this life of mine subsist, at a distance from him who is my true life ? What am I doing ? What am I capable of doing, in this (late of separation from my God? Alas! I can do nothing but what is made up of sin and imperfection.

What rest can my soul find in the tempestuous sea of this world? I bewail my present misery, but I bewail still more my former condition when I lived exempt from sorrow. O Lord, how sweet are thy ways ! yet who can walk in them without fearful anxiety ? I dare not live without endeavoring to serve thee, and when I attempt to acquit myself of this duty, overpowered by the immensity of my obligations to thee, I find nothing that is worthy of thy acceptance. I am desirous of spending myself in thy service; but when I look well to the miserable state I am in, I feel myself incapable of all that is good, unless thou art pleased — to bestow it upon me.

O my gracious and most merciful God, what mall I do to correspond with the great things thou hast wrought in my behalf! All thy works are holy, just, infinitely important, and full of heavenly wisdom, since thou art who performed them, art the Essential Wisdom nevertheless I experience that while my understanding employs itself in contemplating these works, my affections are restrained from indulging themselves in the unconfined manner they desire in the sweet exercise of loving thee: In this slate, the former strives in vain to reach thee in thy inaccessible grandeur, and the latter to enjoy thee in the straight prison of this mortal body. Hence every exterior object becomes irksome and painful to me soul, although at a former period, O my God, I am forced to acknowledge, that the federation of thy greatness, by which she was enabled to estimate her own littleness and imperfection, was of signal service to her.

But why do I repeat all this, O my God ? Whom am I complaining to, or who else hears me except thou my Father and my Creator? And what need is there of words to thee, who so manifestly resident in the centre of my soul? Such is my weakness.

But alas, O my God, how am I assured of this ? How do I know that I am not at this moment deprived of thy grace? O this life of mine, which must necessarily continue in uncertainty, concerning a thing of such infinite importance, as the possession of God’s favor. What is there desirable in it, since the only advantage it possesses, that of pleasing God in all things, is in itself of so uncertain and precarious a nature?

EXCLAMATIONS OF THE SOUL TO GOD OR THE MEDITATIONS OF St. Teresa AFTER COMMUNION. By the Rev. John Milnew, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. LONDON; Printed by J P. COGHLAN, No. 37. Duke-Sire?;-, Grosvenor-Square ; and Sold by Meilrs. Pater-Nostcr Row. M,DCC,A-C. 1790 Public Domain Work.

While today is the feast day of St. Bartholomew, I would like to honor that by talking a little bit about a Carmelite Blessed who was named after him - Blessed Anne.

Anne was born in a small town near the old Castille in Spain and received great friendship with the Lord from a very young age. When she was old enough her parents sent her to the fields to tend the flocks and it was there she began her communion with the Lord. Recollected in the greatness of God she would be in constant prayer admiring His great nature and the splendor of His created Earth. She was in such great love with God that at the age of 7, she had declared “because I fear to commit sin, and would rather die.”

Anne’s parents died when she was not yet of age and so she and her older siblings managed their little farm as best they could. Her brothers had grown anxious to marry her off, but she was determined not to settle for anything less than her beloved Jesus. She fell ill and this was probably because she was so worried they would force her into marriage, but also because she had been accosted by a demonic barrage. Masses were offered for her but she found no relief.

It was near the feast of Saint Bartholomew and there was a holy little hermitage dedicated to him near their village. People had great devotion to Bartholomew in this area and she begged to go on a pilgrimage to this place and make a novena. Her family was to accompany her to the hermitage and she barely made it there. In fact, she collapsed in a paralysis just before entering the chapel. It seemed all was lost, but then she was carried into the sanctuary. At that moment, all malady which held her in its grip left her.

Eventually, through more trials and battles with the evil one, Anne was able to join the Carmelites under the reform of their Holy Mother, Teresa of Avila. Teresa quickly recognized the great humility and favored prayer life enjoyed by Anne and the Saint took her to be her constant companion.

The story of Anne of Bartholomew continues on for her life was filled with adventure for the Lord. Taking care of Holy Mother Teresa and holding her during her final breathes on earth and then founding new monasteries herself in France and Belgium. Her story is beautiful. But let me give you some of Anne’s words as she was about to enter the novitiate at the Carmel of St. Joseph, Saint Teresa’s first reformed Carmel. The passage come from her Autobiography which was translated from French…

“Scarcely had I passed a few days in the Monastery of t. Joseph than it pleased our Lord to hid Himself from me and leave me in darkness. My desolation was great. I said to this Adorable Master: “how is this? Why have you abandoned me? If I did not know you, I would think you had deceived me, and if I had known you would go away I would not have come to the monastery.”

This abandonment lasted ruing the entire year of novitiate. At the end of the year I entered one day the hermitage of Christ at the Pillar to pray. Scarcely had I knelt down than I became supernaturally recollected, and our Lord appeared to me fastened to the cross. The first words He addressed to me were in reply to a desire I had to know whether the thirst He experienced on the cross was a natural thirst. he said to me: “my thirst was only a thirst for souls. From henceforth you must apply yourself to the consideration of this truth, and you must walk in a different path from that you have followed until now.” As if He has said to me, “child, no longer seek Me.” He then caused me to see all virtues in their perfection; they were exquisitely beautiful. I was the more impressed when I realized how far I was from their beauty and perfection. After having favored me with this light, the Divine Master disappeared, leaving my heart deeply wounded with His love, as well as by seeing Him on the cross so deeply wounded with the love of souls. This grace remained so indelibly impressed in my souls that it was with me day and night; my heart was with my Adorable Master, and my Adorable Master was in my heart; this was my usual state. Wherever I might be I experienced a zeal beyond expression for the salvation of souls and for the acquisition of those virtues that the Divine Master had shown me in the vision I have just related. He told me that it was by the way of the cross I would acquire them.”

Icon images:

icoon, 1999
zr. Juliette Christiaens, miss. van Afrika

Images below from the Carmel in Antwerp

I am so very happy to learn that my favorite Podcast, Meditations from Carmel, was just nominated as one of the best 2007 Podcasts in the Religion Inspiration category at the Peoples Choice Podcast awards. This is actually a very big deal because this is the BIG podcast award giver on the Internet. Last year Fr. Rodrick (from the Netherlands who is a technology geek and started the SQPN network) won as the overall peoples choice beating out dozens and dozens of secular podcasts (and many of which are on horrible and vile topics). It was a great affirmation for those who are Podcasting for the Lord!

The SQPN network is filled with some rather Catholic light bantering and I’m not too sure you will find it very prayerful except for the PrayerCast (which only has 4 episodes) and Verbum Domini (daily scripture readings from the Liturgical Calendar). I pray that the network will become more evangelistic in teaching our faith to the world. They are not very “EWTN” at all (if I am to use EWTN as a adjective). There is a nice podcast on their network though called the SaintCast which can be quite interesting.

There is also a very large group of Protestant podcasting going on and they can be found on the Godcast Network. You will find a few Catholic’s amongst the very large group, but you’ll have to scroll around a bit to find them.

Anyway, I am, obviously, quite partial to this Carmelite podcast. It is so wonderful to “hear the voice of Teresa of Avila” and I like Therese’s voice too. But, it is their words about prayer and devotion and love of our Lord through the Garden of Carmel which help to elevate my mind and heart… ahhhhh…..

The contest will run for the next 2 weeks and you can vote daily. I am SURE the Carmelites would value the support. Also, it would be a strong voice to the Catholic community what a great tool the Internet can be in being the voice of good and love in the world. –AMEN!

Here is a news release about the contest:

The Meditations from Carmel Podcast has been voted into the final round of the 2007 Podcast Awards in the “People’s Choice Religion Inspiration” category. In this year’s nomination procedure a count of over 335,000 people submitted, 6 million plus shows! Voting for each Podcast category begins today and you may vote 1 time per day for your favorite podcast. We hope the faithful will support Catholic media by casting their daily ballot!

About the Podcast:

Meditations from Carmel podcast is produced by the Secular Carmelite Community at the Carmel of St. Joseph in St. Louis, Missouri. The meditations come directly from the treasury of writings of the great Carmelite Saints including St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux, Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Teresa of the Andes, Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, St. Teresa Benedicta and many others. As Carmelites living in the world, we listen to hear the whisper of God in the silence of our hearts. We seek Him, who we know loves us, and contemplate His wonders. We hope these short reflections will inspire you to take up the practice of prayer in your life. As St. Teresa of Avila reminds us is:

“Prayer is nothing else than an
intimate sharing between friends;
it means taking time
frequently
to be alone with Him
who we know loves us.”

Voting:

You can vote each day between July 28 and August 11, 2007 for your favorite shows at www.PodcastAwards.com. Voters may select one or all categories to vote for and a verification email with a clickable link will be emailed to you so that the vote can be verified.

About the 2007 Podcast Awards
The People’s Choice:

We have taken great care in the design and launching of this site to give all podcasters an equal chance in the opportunity to win a People’s Choice Podcasting Award in their specific category.

This is the third annual event that will recognize the best podcasters in the world by allowing the people (Listeners and Podcasters) to nominate, and then vote for their favorite podcast. This will culminate with awards and prizes being given during the 2007 Awards ceremony that take place during Podcast Expo in Ontario California on September 28, 2007. The website will see over 250,000 hits per day based upon 2006 levels.

Other Catholic Podcast Nominations:

People’s Choice
- Catholic Insider

Best Mobile Phone Formated Podcast
- Praystation Portable

Cultural/Arts
- Secrets of Harry Potter

Health/Fitness
- Healthy Catholic

PodSafe Music
- Catholic Rockers

Religion Inspiration
- Catholic Insider
- Daily Breakfast
- iPadre
- Meditations from Carmel
- The Hands and Feet Show

I wonder how long it will be before anyone guesses why I love this podcast so much?…..